This invention relates to improved methods and apparatus concerning protecting fire hydrants from terrorism, vandalism, or interference with the water supply from those fire hydrants.
Typically in the prior art fire hydrants have been relatively easy to tamper with. This has become a more serious issue due to the concern regarding possible terrorist contamination of municipal water supplies. Thus far, the approach to protecting municipal water systems has been to heighten security at central sites such as reservoirs, treatment plants and pumping stations. However, these measures do nothing to address the problem of drinking water contamination by terrorists attacking a city""s water supply via the network of easily accessible fire hydrants.
The general public is unaware that fire hydrants are connected to the municipal drinking water system. A hydrant, capable of passing hundreds of gallons per minute, provides an easy and effective means of injecting large volumes of chemical contaminants. And, since hydrants are located in the communities they serve- downline of reservoirs, treatment plants, and pumping stations-such acts of terrorism would evade any treatment, monitoring and other protective measures currently in place.
If a municipal reservoir were to be attacked by chemicals, even in large amounts such as a tanker load, the dilution effect would quickly reduce their concentrations. If, on the other hand, the same amount of chemical was dispensed into a municipal fire hydrant, there would be a dangerous consequence. The entire load of chemicals would be quickly distributed in high concentrations throughout the city""s network of water mains. The effects would be both immediate and devastating.
Unfortunately, the design of the municipal fire hydrant provides virtually no security from attack. Clearly, hydrant tampering, once simply an act of teenage vandalism now has the potential to become a serious threat to our nation""s water systems, deserving of careful consideration.
The present invention proposes an effective anti-tampering device or apparatus for fire hydrants. This device, once attached to a fire hydrant, can be quickly removed by firefighters, but an unauthorized person would be prevented or substantially inhibited from opening the hydrant""s nozzles, thereby denying them easy access to the water system.
The present invention in one or more embodiments provides an apparatus comprising a first cover which can cover a first nozzle cap of a fire hydrant, and an attachment device to which the first cover is connected, wherein the attachment device can be used to attach the first cover to a fire hydrant such that the first cover covers the first nozzle cap. The apparatus may also be comprised of second and third covers which are also attached to the attachment device and which can be used to cover second and third nozzle caps of the fire hydrant.
The attachment device may be comprised of a first portion, the first portion substantially in the form of a ring, The attachment device may be comprised of a second portion, and the second portion can be connected to the first portion so that the first portion and the second portion provide a closed ring. Each of the first, second and third covers may be comprised of substantially cylindrical body portions which have an opening at one end into which a nozzle cap can be inserted and a closed surface at an opposite end which substantially prevents the appropriate nozzle cap from being removed.
The present invention also includes a method comprising the steps of attaching one or more covers to a fire hydrant so that they cover one or more nozzle caps and substantially prevent access to the fire hydrant.